The published patent application DE 31 28 187 A1 discloses an optoelectronic component which has a semiconductor body, a carrier, which comprises insulating material, and two connections which are applied to the carrier in a planar manner, extend from a carrying outer surface of the carrier to at least one further outer surface of the carrier and form a connection contact area there. On a bearing surface of the carrier that is opposite the carrying outer surface, the component is placed onto a printed circuit board and connected using a soldering or adhesive bonding operation.
The published patent application DE 102 45 629 A1 discloses an electronic device in which LEDs are integrated in buttons. The LEDs have, on an underside, contact pins which can be used to contact the LEDs to a printed circuit board that is arranged in the electronic device.
LEDs which are currently commercially available have a luminous efficiency of more than 20 lm/W, said efficiency being dependent on the temperature to a considerable extent. It decreases with increasing temperature. In order to prevent an increase in temperature caused by heat loss which occurs and consequently to prevent a reduction in the luminous efficiency when operating the LEDs, it is necessary to cool the LEDs.
In the case of a component which comprises electrical connections on a bearing surface, the bearing surface resting on a printed circuit board, a considerable portion of the heat generated during operation can be dissipated to the printed circuit board via the electrical connections. The component can thus be cooled using the electrical connections. However, heating of the component cannot be excluded if further heat-generating subassemblies, which dissipate the heat generated to the printed circuit board, are present in the vicinity of the component.
In the case of a component whose electrical connections are connected to a printed circuit board via contact pins, only a small portion of the heat can be dissipated to the printed circuit board, as a result of which the component can heat up more easily.